Re: OpenVMS and linux, pros and cons

marlow.andrew@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I am considering the cost benefits or otherwise of moving some sw off
OpenVMS to Linux. I would like to hear about the pros and cons.
Hopefully this will not start a flamewar, I really do want to know!

Here, as I see it, are the main issues:

OpenVMS does not support the latest version of third party products we
use (e.g only Oracle 10g is supported).

Most companies wont train people in VMS even if they use VMS kit. This
makes developers shy away (they prefer to know about they platform
they work on).

OpenVMS offers better reliability due to clustering.

VMS hardware is very reliable.

A port away from VMS would be a generic Unix port rather than a port
that ties it to Linux. This would enable commercial unix
implementations such as Solaris to be used.

Unix SAs are very thin on the ground these days. At least my client
already has the VMS ops people it needs.

If you need some third party software that is no longer available
on VMS, then you need to move from VMS to *nix.

If you have sufficient customers that want your stuff on *nix
and will not accept it on VMS, then you need to add *nix as
supported platform.

If not then do nothing (porting is about as much fun as
visiting the dentist).

But you should not be surprised if one the two first is the case.

Arne
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Story Time
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